


The Red and Gold World

by MultiFandomPlanet



Category: Power Rangers Samurai
Genre: Alternate Universe, Battle, Fanfiction, Gold Ranger, Green Ranger, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Multi, My First Fanfic, Pink Ranger - Freeform, Post-Series, Power Rangers - Freeform, Power Rangers Reunion, Power Rangers Samurai - Freeform, Yellow Ranger, blue ranger, red ranger - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:13:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22319959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MultiFandomPlanet/pseuds/MultiFandomPlanet
Summary: Jayden Shiba is more than glad to leave the fighting world after defeating Master Xandred. But after his friends leave to move on to their own lives; Jayden starts to feel lonely through the next year. And he wishes for one person in particular: his childhood Bestfriend Antonio Garcia. The one person he feels knows him the most. And just in time when new trouble arises and everyone must return to the legendary Shiba house.None of these characters are mine! Besides some made-up monsters of course! But all the others don't belong to me. I hope you enjoy my little ff.--Also this is an LGBT story! Or mostly is anyway. I will try to make this not just the Jantonio ship--
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

. Chapter one Remember the Day 

He did remember. The day he destroyed Master Xandred for good. It was difficult, more than he could ever imagine anything else could be. And after they ended the fight, everyone moved on. Everyone moved out. He had gotten used to all of them being around. He still had Ji of course. His mentor, friend, father who wasn't his father. The man who taught him everything. Or, mostly everything. He always wondered the difference if his dad didn't leave to fight him, to be with his team and temporarily seal him. And not die. Leaving him and Lauren without their parents.  
It was weird, he was a leader for so long, he had gotten used to that too. Even if in the beginning he almost refused to lead. He missed them, Emily, Mia, Mike, Kevin, Antonio. They all had moved on. He remembered the day they worked together to destroy Xandred. One of the last times they had been a strong team before everyone left.  
\------  
Jayden held the console of his Zord tightly. His burning and sore hands kept a strong grip, despite being covered in his gloves. He tried not to let go of the folded up sword that was controlling his zord, more specifically the Gigazord. He looked around at his friends. They were tired too, they were weak like him, blasted off of their consoles and trying to get up from Xandreds last blast. They were almost falling unconscious from all the exhaustion. They kept fighting though. Jayden breathed heavily. Kevin crawled back up to his console, hardly keeping himself up. "Xandred is more powerful than ever." Emily stated as she held her console, hardly being able to keep on as well. "What do we do now?"  
Mia crashed her arm onto hers, her fingers hardly reaching the zord part at the tip. "At this rate, we won't last long." She ended with a huff, almost falling apart on her folded sword. "I'll try and buy us some time." Kevin pulled out his samuraizer. "Samurai symbol power-" he began to try and draw a symbol, before Jayden held out his arm in front of the started symbol. "Wait—don't use symbol power yet-"  
"Why not?" Kevin interjected quickly. Jayden breathed hard, trying not to fall apart in front of his team. "We can't use it in small amounts." He paused. "He'll win that way." Jayden admitted. He didn't want to hear it, even from  
himself, but it was true. Jayden felt the shogun uniform dissolve from his body, leaving him without his guarded shield. He looked at Kevin and Emily. "We have to demorph." Then looked at Mike, Mia and Antonio. "And combine every last ounce of symbol power into one grand strike."  
"What—?" Antonio asked wearily, looking at his leader through his damaged golden helmet. "We can only beat him as a team." Jayden spoke confidentially to his team. After he finished Mike and Mia demorphed. "One attack?" Mike asked with a breathy unsure tone.  
"What if we miss?" Mia followed. Jayden chewed on the side of his cheek before looking back in front of him. "We need to get so close that we can't miss." He gritted his teeth at the thought of even missing. They would be dead. He would never see Lauren or Ji again. 'I have to make my big sister proud.' Emily and Kevin demorphed. Emily taking a heavy inhale before speaking. "We have to do it." She looked at all of them. "To save the world." Finally, Antonio demorphed after a nod from Mike. Antonio held up his now Barracuda Blade instead of Mega Blade . "Sounds risky. And dangerous." He looked ahead. "Let's do it!"  
"Remember. No matter what happens we cannot retreat. We have to keep going at all costs. Even if we only have one zord left." He stopped another heavy breath refraining him from continuation for a moment. "Everything is riding on this one attack."  
"Right!" The entire team yelled in unison, sticking their blades into their own consoles. "Okay then." He had to be ready, he pushed his sword ahead. "Charge!"  
\------  
Even if it was hard, he missed the fighting. The constant saving the world, the adrenaline he felt while fighting the Nighlok. It was gone now. His destiny was done.  
His normal routine now, was waking up, taking a shower, getting dressed, playing his new gutar. Sometimes with Ji, and sometimes not. Reading, writing, drawing symbols and occasionally calling one of his friends to check on them. They would always send pictures or messages of what they were doing on their shared group but it never stuck as it did when they were in the Shiba House. He still missed them after the year. His new friends and of course, childhood best friend and sister. But he wished life was more interesting than that. It was with the fighting. 'I shouldn't miss that. All I wanted was to have a normal, steady life. Now I do. What's the point in wanting to go back now?'  
"Jayden?" Ji approached him from the doors to the house, he had his black guatar in his left hand while his left held the door open. Jayden turned his head back. "Are you alright?"  
Jayden nodded. "Uh yeah. I was just thinking."  
Ji walked closer to the bench he was sitting on, he put aside his own gutar and sat next to him. He placed his hands in his lap. "Is it about the fight with Xandred?"  
Jayden kept quiet. He didn't want to answer that.  
"You know you defeated him. You Rangers won." He held his shoulder. "And you did amazing. So did Lauren, by creating the Shiba disk you guys had enough power to defeat him in his first form. So why are you thinking about it?"  
Jayden shifted his legs, stepping his feet across the ground. "I don't know. It is just so different. Being, normal I guess."  
"Normal." Ji laughed. "Whatever that means."  
Jayden stood up, balencing his chin on the top of his instrument. "It means that I am not keeping any big secret anymore. Lauren being a secret was already one thing, and now I don't have to walk around with the idea that I might have to save the world in a moment if she doesn't come back in time." He sighed, looking towards the dummies, then the outside used-to-be kitchen. He remembered when Antonio would always grill fish. Usually after a battle. Jayden clenched his jaw. "It's all differenct now. Not like when it was just us. Me training as a kid. Sometimes with Antonio. And you telling me it had to be perfect to succeed."  
"And you did." Ji smiled sympathetically. "You won. You did amazing."  
"Maybe." Jayden replied doubtfully.  
\----  
Jayden had walked back to his bedroom after a few more moments talking to Ji. And strumming some notes on his bright red guitar. When he returned he looked up. His symbol. His fire symbol. The one on his helmet as well as the one that represented his power. It still hung up high on a red frame. His eyes drifted and saw the box on his shelf. The box containing his discs. And the unworking black box. He still tried to make it work, but without Antonio's techness and after the battle with Master Xandred the box was hardly useful. And the zords were lost. Only the main six survived. There wasn't a way to get them.  
Though he still had the Lion zord. And his friends had all of their folding zords. Maybe Emily would give hers back to Sierra if she was better, and shed become the yellow ranger. It reminded him of his own situation. 'She's probably still sick though.'   
Jayden balanced his closed Lion zord in the palm of his hand. It made a small roar when it opened, kicking up it's front robotic paws when Jayden tired to imitate his protest. "Do you miss them too?" The red zord roared again. "Yeah. I know I do." He held his hand above the Lion, folding his zord back up, placing him on the shelf with the symbol facing forward. He didn't want to at first, but he picked up the box with the discs. It had dust on the cap from how long it was away, and when he opened the cover it was also dusty inside. The power discs sat carefully in each section. His fire disc, shark disc, tiger disc, bull disc and of course in the little indented seat was the box. He picked it up and held it to rest in his fingers. It was heavy, with small cracks on the sides. The lights on the sides were also cracked from the damage. He remembered the day they got them. They found many dark red puddles of Sanzu River water all across the city, and with that they also found Arachnitor washing himself through the puddles. They fought herds of Moogers until Antonio came running in with the finished box. He worked so hard on it. And it didn't even work anymore.  
Jayden put the box back and his zord at the top. His eyes then landed on his Samuraizer. It was balancing on the side of the wooden box before he had picked it up. He picked the Samuraizer up. Rolling it around in his hands made a lonely feeling. He remembered holding it in his hands, flipping it open and yelling out their chant that scared the Nighloks. Their morphs. "Go Go Samurai!"  
Jayden flipped it open. The bright red homescreen glowed. His symbol spun around at the home. He saw the contacts, clicking on the option with the select button. There was all his friends. He chuckled seeing Kevins contact information. With the ballerina costume on from when his body was switched with a music box. Mike had sent it to him after the event had subsided and Antonio had gotten over his fear.  
"Reminiscing?" Ji sat in the enterence, holding his bamboo stick against the ground. His hands were folded while holding it. His chin was high.  
Jayden folded back his samuraizer and leaned it on the wooden box. He stepped back from his shelf, stuffing his hands deep in his jean pockets. "Yeah. I suppose." He sighed deeply. "I miss it you know? And yeah it was tough but that is what made it good. What made life interesting." He looked back to Ji, whose face was in thinking. Ji clutched on his stick strap. "I understand the change Jayden. It's definitely hard when you spent your life constantly training, now to have so much free time it might kill you."  
"Thanks Ji. It's the boredom that kills me not the Nighlok." Jayden rolled his eyes.  
Ji shook his head, walking into Jaydens room. He glanced around at everything on the book shelf. His hand picked up a picture frame towards the top. It was him with his dad and Lauren. "This is old. This was one of the pictures I put away." He cleared his throat. "To keep the Lauren plan away."  
"Well it wasn't keeping from me." He corrected with a raised brow. "It was keeping from the others."  
Ji nodded. "Do you remember your father?"  
"No. Not much." Jayden looked over to his actual books at the bottom. Just a bunch of Samurai training books. Or how to be a good Samurai. "Only him leaving for his last battle. Where he gave me the Lion zord." Jayden shifted his shoulders. "He was a good man. He really cared for his children. And his team. He was a naturally born leader." Ji paused. "Like you."  
"Maybe. But I really don't have anything to be a leader for now. Until the Nighlok come back. If they do."  
\----  
Jayden prepared for bed soon after his talk with Mentor. It was early in the night, and he didn't even realise until his shower was done. 'I used to go to bed so late when I had training.' He laid down on his bed, his head hitting the pillow with a thump. 'What do I do now?'

\----------  
The first chapter! I probably will rush the plot a bit to get to when they all come back but I hope it will be good anyway! Yes this is the first chapter and I did try to stay true to the story, I will 'morph' (Haha) a few things to make it fit. Here it is! Hope you enjoy! 

\--MFP--


	2. Chapter 2: If All Can Be Well.

'Jayden! The mooger attack is too much We need to retreat!' The world was under attack. Somehow, someway Master Xandred returned, and he didn't hesitate to try and flood the world again. He did flood the world. The world emerged in red Sanzu river water. And the boat that the entire crew of Nighlok was on had been flowing through the entire city. People that survived were cowering in fear in the highest place possible. Some didn't make it even if they tried.

Jayden and the other rangers were fighting fiercely. All spread out at the mass spread of moogers and Xandreds crew. Jayden, Kevin, and Mike were fighting a clutter of Moogers hiding Master Xandred. Mia and Emily stayed on the other side, where Jayden hoped they would be safe. Jayden clashed his sword against the Moogers. The clanging burning his ears. He hadn't heard the sound in so long it almost had been blown from his memory. He knocked two Moogers back, them exploding into the group. Five more came running. Panic flashed behind his eyes. He didn't know what to do. They had beat the Nighlok before, they had to again. The five hit Jayden's chest with their swords. An intense burn spotted his skin until he shook the feeling off and kept attacking. He pulled out the black box from the side of his belt, clasping it to the back of the sword and clicking the disc in the slot. 'Super Samurai Mode!' He cried out while holding the box out in front of the Moogers. The white cape appeared on his back. He was ready. Jayden held his sword in front of him and ran into the five. He hit two, taking out his fire disc and spinning the disc he burned the other three. His feet planted right next to his two friends who had already finished fighting. 'Red ranger.' Master Xandreds voice called out his title. 'You've defeated me once. But your pathetic attempts won't work again.' Jayden felt his arms be drawn back by gloved hands. He struggled against the grip. 'Pathetic.' He chuckled, drawing his sword from his side, making two fire slashes. The slashes traveled across the broken cement and slammed into him. It burned, it hurt his skin. His body. His head. He couldn't breathe. His breathing was gone. Dark and cold--  
\-----  
Jayden flew up, his breaths were quick and hot. He could feel his skin tense. His room was empty and quiet. The lights were off. The darkness amerced him. Jayden peered out the doorway, Ji had to be asleep. It was a still sense in the halls and none of the lights had been turned on. The white doors to the kitchen were also closed. The gap sensor was quiet. He sometimes missed hearing it. Even in the darkness of nighttime.

Jayden sat up in his bed. He still had his nerves from being asleep. He couldn't sleep at all. Jayden stood and opened his door, walking out through the hall. He reached the kitchen and entered. Still, an echo filled quietly. After he grabbed a cup from the cabinet he rushed it under the cold water from the facet. He brought the filled cup to his lips to take a large gulp. His lips rolled together as he swallowed. His nerves eased but still remained in a shaking cluster in his body.

His back rested against the counter. He never had nightmares much. Especially not any about Xandred. He never was afraid of him or scared of him. And he was defeated, gone. Dead with the rest of his monster crew at the bottom of the deep red water. He would never have to see them again. He hoped. But the Nighlok were smart. He worried they would find a way back to earth. Even with his worries, Ji tried to convince him otherwise.

Jayden gulped down more of his freezing water, more thoughts, more obsessed worrying. Unnecessary worrying. He had nothing to worry about. 'But I'm so rusty with a sword now. I haven't trained in forever. What if the nighlok do return?' He finished his water and placed the wooden cup at the bottom of the sink for Ji to wash later. Jayden lingered by the sink for a moment, his arms balancing him against the counters to the side.

He remembered the map Ji showed him a few nights before. Was he wrong about the Nighlok never coming back? He had to be. There was no way they would. Jayden dispatched from the kitchen to walk back to his room. He pushed the bedroom door open. His fire symbol caught his eyes again. The moonlight was right against it like it was the moon's target. The red behind it reminded him of his color. His symbol. In annoyance, Jayden shook his head and pulled himself under his covers.

\-----

The morning was as normal as he would expect from the passing days after his abrupt nightmare. Birds chirping from their sitting on the roof of the Shiba house, the sun making a slight buzz as it brightened over the house. He missed the fun of waking up with Mike annoying Kevin or Mia making some sort of food and being so proud of it her smile was brighter than the lights in the house, maybe even the sun itself. Even if none of the team considered what she made food. Only Lauren did. And he didn't understand that.

Jayden left his room after boring himself by just looking out the window. And occasionally looking at his old Samurai gear. He did try to read a book through. Not a training or strategy book for once but a reading book. He saw Ji as he entered the sitting room. "So Ji. Any interesting news for me today?"

"Like always," Ji sighed, "no sign of Nighlok or anything unusual." He hit his stick against the floor. "But it's odd though."  
Jayden looked at him in confusion. Odd. He said nothing was unusual but odd? "What's odd Ji?" Jayden asked as he sat on one of the yellow seats. He watched carefully when a Ji opened up the map of their city on the table. "I didn't find it unusual. Just different. Slight red dots all over the map. Mostly near street corners or alleyways. But there is no nighlok and the buzzer isn't ever going off." Ji started. Making a slight hum and a scrolled along the map. "And I've never seen anything like it. Even when Master Xandred was ruling the Sanzu River."

"Do you think it's the leftover Sanzu River seeping through?" Jayden asked. Looking up to meet his mentor's stern look. He breathed in deeply. "I wouldn't think so. Xandred and his crew are all gone now. The river wouldn't come through if the Nighlok weren't causing trouble." Jayden tightened his jaw at the thought of them even coming back. He scrolled through, then zoomed out. "I mean it could just be the remains of the fights from before. The entire river came through before." Jayden shrugged. "We don't know for sure," Ji stated, "but if it is, maybe the others should return early. Its almost been a year and we planned a reunion."

Jayden stood up. "We can't do that. They want to live normal lives now Ji. I can't call upon them when they've only begun to settle in their new lives. Its been hardly a year. That's not enough time for them to live new, non-stressful lives." Jayden stopped. "And the reunion was supposed to be special. It was meant to be a celebration."

Ji stood up as well, staring straight at him. A stare he recognized from his childhood when he was being told that his mentor was right and he was wrong. "We might have to Jayden. If this problem increases," Ji glanced to the map, "we may have no choice but to get the team back."

——-

Hi guys! So so sorry it's been a while! I am trying my best to update these chapters as much as I can but I do try to make these longer than my normal stories (On DreamingSilhouette) so they take longer to write and edit. I also try to watch the episodes as I write (with Stay safe, Stay Hidden.) I really want to stay as true as I can because this is my first fanfic. As far as right now, my schedule is not set but I am thinking I will publish one-two chapters per month (Maybe more during heavy writing patches). This will change in the future. 

Also!! I aim to write a lot these coming weeks due to being in quarantine/canceled from school for COVID-19. People in very affected areas, stay safe and healthy. Perform hygiene habits and follow recommendations from trusted sources. I love all of you! 

\--MFP--


	3. Chapter 3: You Need To Return

The red spots still looked him in the face as he kept scanning the map. Jayden didn't know what to do. Could he really do that? First off lead his team again, after almost a year. Second off, bring them back to the Shiba house. What would Lauren think? Would she come back? 

And if the Sanzu River was returning, did that mean everything they had done would be gone? 'All the work. All the fighting. What would happen then?' Jayden adjusted his jacket. "I'll get in touch with them Ji." He sighed. "I just hope they won't be angry with me."

"I wouldn't have any idea to think they would." Ji answered, tapping the wooden coffee table and closing the map. "They're your team. Even if you're not fighting; they will always be your team." 

——

Grabbing his phone, not Samuriazer like he normally would in situations like these, but a new phone he bought for the 'victory'. And to establish some sort of normal life he wanted all that time. He sat on the edge of his bed, opening up his messaging app. He didn't have to scroll very far to find the 'Power Rangers' group. It was really the only group or other people he talked to. 

The most recent messages were from his friends, apparently having a short conversation. Jayden smiled seeing his friends texts. The feeling of missing them tickled back into his heart.

//Power Rangers//

Emily: "I just want to let you guys know Mike and I are settling back home after the trip. Serena is doing better. She wants to come down sometime to meet all of you when we have a reunion."

Mike: "We miss all of you." 

Kevin: "I should be done with swim competitions for a bit, soon. Not sure when." 

Antonio: "I'm on my way back from fishing exp. Hardly have any service. 🙄"

Mia: "I should cook some fish you bring." 

Antonio: "I'm not sure about that."

Jayden smiled at the messages. But reading them back confined him. They sounded like they were happy back at home rather than the life they had a year ago. Jayden tapped on the typing bar and started to write out his next message. "So...are you all available for a minute?" He was glad he caught a time where they were all active. Even Antonio. 

Kevin: "Sure."

Mia: "Yeah." 

Mike: "what's up man?"

Emily: "Is everything okay?"

Jayden was almost confused on what to say now, or at least how to word it. He had to say something. Especially now that he told them he needed their attention. They were expecting something. He tightened his jaw. Maybe Mentor could have already told them. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news." He quickly typed with shaking thumbs. "Well you guys might need to return back to the house for a few weeks if not more time. Mentor is worried about something and he's in forcing me to say for you guys to come back." The message sounded blank. He almost cringed now that he had said it. He didn't want Mentor to sound bad but how else could he say it? 

Kevin: "About what? Are the Nighloks back? Master Xandred?" 

Mike: "Oh man. We'll be back as soon as we can." 

Antonio: "whatever you need Jay. I'll come back as soon as I can."

Mia: "Being a Power Ranger means a lot to me. Of course I'll come back." 

He felt like the first day he met them by all of the determination. The pride. Jayden never understood how people could be that determined to save the world. He was always worried about being a leader that it crumbled him thinking about it as a kid and into his early teens. Even when the Nighlok returned he was still unsure about being a leader to such an important team.

Kevin: "I mean I was thinking about coming back soon anyway. After swim I have some time on my hands so visiting would be nice. It's been too long." 

Mike: "it would be nice to see all of you again after this long year." 

Antonio: "Anything to see my Bestfriend again."

Mike: "do you just care about Jayden, Antonio? 

Antonio: "haha very funny. No Mike. I'm excited to see all of you." Jayden felt a weird tingle in his heart at that message. Was he just caring about him? No, it had to be all of the team; they were all best friends. They all cared deeply for each other. Jayden started typing at the small box at the bottom. "Well I'm excited to see all of you too. Are you sure it's not a problem to ask you guys to come back?"

Emily: "Jayden, it isn't a problem at all. We all know the importance of protecting the world, if we need to come back we will."

Mike: "She's right."

Mia: "Yeah, of course." 

Antonio: "You guys have to be so cliche all the time. Look, I'm on my way back from fishing exp and should be back in a few days."

Kevin: "Me too. Swimming competition ends in about two weeks. "

Mike: "It shouldn't take long for Emily and I to catch a train back."

Antonio: "A train? Seriously Mike?"

Mike: "Yes! We're in the freaking country!" 

Jayden snorted at Mikes defensive nature. He always got defensive when Antonio or even Kevin would pick on him. Jayden tried his best not to pick on his best friend and leave the side comments about his mannerisms or his lack of training in the beginning to them. "Thank you guys. Really. I hate bothering you with Mentors worries but he was insistent on you guys coming back." 

Kevin: "No worries Jayden. We're there when you need us."

Mike: "I'll start packing my things tomorrow."

Emily: "Same with me. I'll let Serena know too." 

Jayden read the messages again, they were coming back so soon, it almost worried him. He nodded to himself even through his worries. They were dedicated. And to him. He still couldn't believe it. "You don't have to come so soon. Kevin and Antonio are coming later aren't they?"

Mike: "Yeah but us coming early can just get us a head start on training."

Kevin: "Haha Mike you're so disciplined now."

Mike: "Shut up Kev. It won't take us long to get back. It doesn't change anything if we get back a few days early."

Mia: "Yeah. I'll be early too. I'm on break for culinary classes."

Jayden shut off his phone, placing it to rest facedown on his chest. his team was so..mellow and excited about coming back earlier than he thought. His thinking was that they would come later, at least a few weeks. He just didn't want them hurt. That was the last thing that he could take. 'And what about Lauren? Will she be coming back too?' She didn't see any of the messages, at least her chat bubble hadn't reached any of the other rangers messages. 

"Jayden." Ji's voice broke through his thoughts about his sisters whereabouts, making him snap his eyes up. "Hm?"

"Did you ask them?" He held his chin up. Ji's sign of being stern. Jayden nodded. "Yeah. They'll be coming back soon. I just hope they are okay with it." 

________________

Ahhh the rangers will return in the next chapter! I hope you all enjoyed reading! And thank you for reading! 

\---MFP---


	4. Chapter Four: The Rangers Return

Jayden had jitters on seeing his friends, his team again. And now his team having to start the long, exhausting training that was behind them. He even had not trained since they fought the last battle. Was it a traumatic memory? Maybe. It was frankly one of the most traumatic things he knew.

Besides the death of his father. That. That burned his heart and through this core, even more than his symbol power did. Even more than when Fiera tried to kill him.

Jaydens crossed arms leaned on the doorway. That morning he almost didn't get out of bed. Fear glued him to the mattress. Eventually, Ji had come to scold him and remind him that it was that day.

That day arrived actually a few days after his first announcement. Several of the other rangers told him that they were coming on that specific day. The only one who didn't...was Lauren.

Jayden had started to worry after the first day of her not seeing the messages. Then the second went by. Then the third. Then the day that everyone else had messaged. Still nothing.

Was she okay? She would have said if something was up. Or if she couldn't make it.

'She has to be okay, my sister would never get in trouble.' Jayden confidently tried to convince himself, 'she's probably just busy. But with what where she can't even send one message?' His jaw tightened. The worrying feeling wasn't leaving him.

Jayden was so out of focus that he didn't even realize what was going on at the front gate. A black car with his family symbol pulled up. 'It must be one of them.' He felt a smile come on, "one of my friends."

The car door shut, and from it he could see all blue. "Kev?" He questioned while stretching out to try and see.

His friend's face emerged from behind the wooden gate, his expression was bright seeing Jayden staring at the door. He started to jog towards him, a large blue bag slapping him as he went on his way. "Jayden. Its been so long." Kevin slapped his hand against his back, his smile could even be felt from his hug.

Jayden disconnected from him, sighing heavily. He looked so different now. The biggest difference in his appearance being his hair was longer, much longer than it had been last time he had seen the blue ranger face to face. His hair reached just above his ears and was curled tightly into dreads. He had an almost glowing radiant from his face. And, he looked more relaxed. While training and being in the team he always looked so uptight, like he was always trying to be the discipline one. Now, it was like he was relaxed. "Way too long." Jayden huffed, "how's it been, with practice I mean."

Kevin chuckled lightly, his hand reaching up to scratch his neck. "Tiring. We practice differently than ranger practice but...still...after taking a break from swimming it was hard to get used to it all over again."

Jayden shuffled a nod. "Of course."

Another car followed up to the entrance, the same black car with the same Shiba family crest. The two back doors opened, revealing yellow first, then green around the other side. "Mike! Emily!" Jayden jogged down the stairs to meet his friends on the pebble trail. His smile was growing. They started to approach, Mike's arm around Emily's shoulders. The two looked almost the same, only Emily's hair was slightly longer and brighter. Mike had a more shaggy cut to his hair. They both looked a tad older too. They both had rolling suitcases behind them, full to the brim almost. "Jay," Mike held his shoulder while Emily cuddled up against him, smiling gently. "Jayden. It's good to see you."

"And the two of you," teasingly, Jayden adjusted his eyes to their hands, "sooo-"

Mike brought his hand up to slap Jayden's shoulder. He made an annoyed expression. Teeth were gritting. "Don't even."

"Okay okay." Jayden brought his hands up in his own defense. "I won't."

Emily curled her smile. "Let him tease. At least he's not so uptight."

Kevin followed up next to Jayden, standing across from Emily and Mike. "She's right Mike. Appreciate this while you can." A chuckle followed his words.

Mike was just about to do his usual protesting whine but another black Shiba car drove up. A light pink shade emerged from the passenger seat. "Mia!" Jayden tilted his head up to see her.

Mia clutched her purse and a suitcase rolled behind her feet. Her look was like Kevin's. Instead, her hair was shorter and now just below her shoulders. She had a slightly older look.

It was a year later, after all.

They weren't exactly teenagers anymore. Of course, they would look older.

Mia hurried up to the crowded group, she had a bright smile looking at everyone. "It's so good to see all of you," Mia rushed up to Jayden, pulling her free arm around him. "Especially our gracious leader." 

Jayden disconnected from her and rolled his eyes. "Geez Mia, don't make me seem that amazing." 

Mike moved away from Emily, resting his suitcase gently on the pebbled ground. His arm went to Jayden, replacing Mia with his own. He shook his friend lightly. "Ah shush. You are amazing and you know it!"

When Jayden looked up to Kevin, he shrugged and made a folded expression with his mouth. He was definitely agreeing with Mike, which was a shocking thing to hear or rather see. "He's right, for once." 

Mike shook his head, slapping Kevin's head with his free hand. "For once? I'm always right Kev, you just can't stand my opinions."

"Or the fact that you have no discipline." Kevin retorted. Mike collided his hand with Kevin's head again, hand going down to his shoulder instead of back to his own side. "It's so weird to be back here, after a year." Mike started, looking to Jayden, then Kevin, and repeated. "I thought this was all over." 

Jayden gulped. He did too. Part of him wished it was. As much as he missed it, that small part inside was hoping to go back to a somewhat normal life. 

Wouldn't that normal life just be..too normal? He grew up training every day and every night. There wasn't any way to go back. He nodded towards Mike. "I think we all did. I think we all hoped it was too. We wanted to live normal lives." Jayden stepped up, nodding to his teammates. "But, now is not the time to wish for normal lives. We have to get back into the fight, as--" He felt himself start to smile, the rest of the team seemed to start smiling too. "Samurai Rangers." 

"Yeah!" All of the team rose their hands up and said in unison. 'This is my team. We're all back together again. We can do this.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! Antonio will be coming quite soon, don't worry ;;) 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading! 
> 
> \--MFP--


	5. Chapter Five: Him

Jayden let his teammates rest after their arrival. It must have been tiring, traveling all the way from their locations.

Jayden luckily lived at the Shiba house, where the rangers 'headquarters' of sorts were located. That came with the thankful feeling of not having to say goodbye to a safe home and introduced to a risk-filled environment.

Well, risk-filled was a strong term, they were protected by symbols.

What would they do without those symbols..? Their home..his home, would be destroyed. Destroyed more than it was during his father's battle against Xandred..

There was that common attachment to his home, the place where he grew up. And the place where the previous battle against Xandred had been fought.

Still, with the arrival of the main members of the team, one thought remained on his mind. More like one person. His closest friend, Antonio.

He was so focused on the team returning and the long-awaited excitement of everyone's return that his focus was almost tunnel vision. The fact that he didn't even think of him, was already uncomfortable. Or, possibly..odd. Maybe even purposeful. It was possible that he just didn't want to even think about him, from his leaving and other things he didn't want to put back in his mind.

It didn't matter. It shouldn't when much more pressing matters were occurring. Jayden pressed his head onto his resting palms, knuckles on the pillow, looking to the roof for some sort of new thought.

That was hardly possible with how much was happening at that given moment.

'I only hope we'll all be okay,' Jayden tightened his jaw, 'and that you return soon, Antonio.'

~~~~~

"Oh come on Kev!" Mike whined, nudging Kevin with his now reddened knuckles. "Stop being so tight! This is our first actual day of training after all."

Jayden had already spared Mike minutes prior to his spar with Kevin. Of course, it wasn't a surprise that he himself had won and Mike had lost. Mike was still so unfocused, even after a year. Jayden was so sure he would change and possibly even be more dedicated now having Emily around, well, so sure wasn't the right way to refer to it. He was sure, though not extremely sure. It was hard to be when it came to Mike.

"Mike," Kevin made his usual scolding voice, eyeing Mike from the side. "The reason we are here is because of the new signs of Nighlok. Which means," he slapped his hands on Mike's shoulders, chin following his gripping hands, "we need to train like we're fighting Nighlok." He whispered with a light, but disapproving smile.

Mike shoved his hands off with a roll of his shoulders, scoffing with a quick roll of his eyes. He bent down and grasped the wooden sword in his hands. Firmly, he positioned the sword to fit the angle of Kevin's eyes. And he struck. But, with the usual head-on Mike approach, he missed. Kevin swiftly dodged to the side, swinging his own wooden sword to hit Mike's shoulder. "I win again."

Mike was still trying to stabilize himself when Kevin's sword was placed directly in the line of his eyes. "And another win for me," Kevin clutched his wooden blade, balancing the hilt on the ground in front of his toes. He balanced his chin on the tip that was previously in between Mike's eyes. "Mike you are very unprepared." 

Jayden agreed with a smirking nod. Their exchange was so similar to last year. Kevin was well trained and always won when it came to sparring, and Mike was still wildly unprepared and lost nearly every spar. His losses were mostly against Kevin, little to Jaydens own surprise. Or Mia when she was having a good sparring day. 

"He never trains back home," Emily stepped up, arms strongly on her chest. "He spends too much time running around with our dog." Her eyes rolled moments before she moved to the side, taking a sword from the holder. Jaydens own eyes widened. "Oh." Emily faced her leader for a moment, a smirk covering her face. "She's sparring Mike." Kevin hummed, finishing Jayden's sentence before he could. His tired hand gripped Jayden's shoulder. "You've been quiet leader," Jayden turned his eyes to look at Kevin. His eyes met his friend's curious expression. Jayden lowered his chin, closer to his collarbone. "I've just been thinking."

Kevin didn't wait to speak. "About?" He felt a small shiver brush the back of his neck. What was he thinking about..that was the confusing part. The future, the attacks, the image of the bright red beating dots on the screen embedded in the coffee table after almost a year of not seeing so. The map covered in nighlok signals. Jayden shook his head, bringing his chin back up to Kevin's eye level. "I guess just the future. Seeing you and Mike spar, and now Emily with Mike it reminds me what we're getting into and what these new attacks mean..Xandred disappeared and the nighloks with him. So it's odd that they're here now." Jayden brought his fingertips to his chin in thought. When he spoke about the event, the more the thoughts increased and broadened. There had to be a reason behind the attacks, but that reason was still very unexplained. 

"Yes, it is. But we were planning on having a reunion soon anyway..we would have come soon enough." Kevin looked "And if you say anything about our own individual plans I may win a spar against you."

Jayden scoffed, swapping Kevin's hand on his shoulder with his own hand on his friend's shoulder. Smacking his training attire, he chuckled gently. "Not a chance, you still have way too much to learn."

"Jayden," Ji's voice stopped their competitive stares. His bamboo walking stick in between his feet, string around his wrist. Kevin also looked up and away from their shared stare. "Someone is outside." Ji's words made his body freeze. Kevin let go of his shoulder, connecting his hand to his side. It was like he knew why. 'I guess our departure was plain and I didn't give him a proper goodbye, maybe Kevin knows I was worried to see him.' He nodded, shutting his eyes to remain his composure. The team didn't need to worry. With a hard gulp, he stood up straight, stepping towards the double doorway. "Right, thank you Ji." 

Slow steps carried Jayden out of the training room and down the hall. Curving around the corner to the door, he stared. His palm followed his stare on the rod of the door. His fingers rattled on the cold metal. 'I have to just open the door..he'll be waiting and wonder where I am..' 

Slowly, Jayden pulled on the door. The light peaked into the slightly dimmer dojo. Though the opening of the door didn't just reveal light, but him as well. Sitting patiently on the picnic table near the grill, guitar case, and fishing gear beside his knees. 

He must have heard the door open, turning with a wide stare. "Jay." He smiled brightly, holding his hands at his sides. Jayden crossed his arms tightly. "Antonio."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so so long! Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first FanFic+First time posting on this website so please excuse my lack of organization.


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